Steam heating system for automobiles



Oct. 6, 1931. J. 5. DOUGLASS, JR 1,826,163

STEAM HEATING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILES I Filed June I3, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l flames 5 AOUg/QSSJ/r.

By $M y Oct. 6, 1931.

J. 5. DOUGLASS. JR

STEAM HEATING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed June 13, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet lnvenlor f/amgs 5. Doug/055p By I Patented Oct. 6, 1931 I PATENT OFFICE JAMES S. DOUGLASS, JR., F CANANDAIGUA, NEW YORK STEAM HEATING SYSTEM FOR AUTOMOBILES Application filed June 13, 1927. Serial No. 198,411.

This invention relates to steam heating systems in which the waste heat from the exhaust gases of the internal combustion engine in combination with Water from the [6 cooling system of the engine is utilized to generate superheated steam that is then passed thru suitable radiators to heat the inside of the automobile and the object of this invention is to reduce such a heating .10 system to its simplest form in which it will operate efliciently.

This and other objects of this invention will be fully illustrated in the drawings, described in the specification and pointed out in the claims at the end thereof.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a portion of an automobile illustrating the application of my steam heating system thereto.

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the steam generator of the heating system and its mounting on the exhaust pipe of the engine.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the mounting of the steam generator as it will appear when mounted on the exhaust pipe of the engine.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the water inlet plug thru which water from the cooling system of the engine is admitted into the heating system.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the exhaust pipe showing a U shaped pipe for heating the steam, this pipe being inserted in the exhaust pipe.

Figure 6 is a transverse'section through Figure 5 on the line 6m--6w.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section through 40 the exhaust pipe showing a pipe therein for heating the steam with a partition in the pipe, the partition extending to the blind end thereof.

Figure 8 is a vertical transverse sect on thropgh the pipe on the line 840-840 of Figure Figure 9 is a vertical section through the exhaust pipe showing a pipe therein for heating the steam in which a small pipe for feeding water is surrounded by several pipes which return the steam generated therefrom.

Figure 10 is a vertical section on the line 10m, 1000 of Figure 9.

In the several figures of the drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts.

The heating system forming the subject matter of this invention is an improvement over the heating system disclosed in my prior application Serial No. 160,928 filed January 13, 1927, but instead of mounting the steam generator in the exhaust manifold as illustrated and described in said application the steam generator in my present invention is mounted in the exhaust pipe leading from the exhaust manifold. Both the mounting as well as the construction of the steam generator is thus simplified and located closer to the radiators in which the steam is utilized for heating the inside of the car. All this results in a higher efliciency of such a heating system which together with the simplified installation thereof makes the system an ideal heating system for closed cars.

The steam generator as illustrated in Figure 2 comprises an outer tube 1 and an inner tube 2. The open end of the outer tube is curved and projects upwardly thru the opening 4 in the exhaust pipe 3 into the base plate 5. This base plate is provided with a nipple 6 into which is threaded one end of the T connection 7. The end of the bent pipe 1 is flared on the inside of the nipple 6, forming a flange on the pipe 1 which is forced against the shoulder 8 formed on the inside of the nipple, by the end of the T and provides a steam tight joint between the end of pipe 1, the end of the T 7 and the base plate 5.

The base plate 5 is attached to the exhaust pipe 3 by means of the U shaped yoke 9. The ends of this yoke are threaded and project into suitable slots on each side of the base plate. Nuts 10 and 11 are provided on the ends of the yoke and when threaded down onto the base draw the base in place over the opening 4 in the exhaust pipe and anchor it firmly in place thereon. The inner tube 2 which is located within the outer tube 1 forms a continuation of the pipe 12 thru which water is fed into the steam generator. This pipe may be integral with the tube 2 or be connected to it in any suitable manner. It is also connected to the inlet plug which is threaded into the water distributing pipe 1% leading from the radiator 15 which serves to distribute the water into the individual water jackets of each cylinder of the engine. The inlet plug has a large duct leading thru it but the passage of the water is restricted by the reduced opening 16 provided in the plug 17. This plug is threaded into the duct of the inlet plug in order to restrict the flow of water from the cooling system of the engine and allow only the predetermined amount of water to enter the heating system. The pipe 12 is attached to the intake plug in any suitable manner or by means of a standard titting as illustrated in Figure 1. From the intake plug the pipe 12 leads to the T connection 7 mounted on the base 5 and thru the T to the tube 2 that continues on into the outer tube 1 to within a short distance of the closed end thereof. The thin stream of water that is fed thru the pipe 12 into the tube 2 thus flows outof the end of the tube 2 into the larger tube 1 where it is quickly transformed into steam by the heat of the exhaust gases that heat the tube 1 to a high temperature. The generation of the steam is thus instantaneous as soon as the Water leaves the inner tube 2. The steam thus generated then flows thru the outer tube back to the T connection 7 where it is allowed to escape from the T, connection at 18 into the distributing pipe or hose 19. In flowing thru the pipe 1 to the T connect-ion the steam is superheated because of the length of exposure of the pipe to the hot exhaust gases. The hose or pipe 19 leads to the radiator 20 Where the steam passes thru a series of coils to give off some of its heat to heat the interior of the car. At the exhaust end of the radiator 20 a pipe 21 carries oil the condensed steam and leads it to the intake side of the water pump 22 of the engine. This pump creates a 'partial vacuum in the exhaust line 21 of the heating system that serves to draw the condensed steam and water after it has passed thru the radiator, back into the cooling system of the motor from which the water for the generation of the steam was taken in the first place.

Some of the condensed steam from the steam distributing pipe 21 of the heating system may be utilized to furnish to the engine moisture in the form of steam that will increase its efliciency especially during dry weather. For this purpose a T connection 23 is inserted into the pipe line 21 and from this T connection a pipe 24: leads to the steam chest 25. Another pipe 26 leads from this steam chest to the intake of the carburetor so that on the operation of the engine some of the steam from the steam chest is drawn into the carburetor and will mix with the charge of hydrocarbon fuel tobe drawn into the cylinders of the engine. An exhaust pipe 27 is also provided for the steam chest thru which the condensed steam and water from the chest may pass out into the exhaust line 21 and back thru the pump 22 into the cooling system, or" the engine.

Steam from the heatin g system may also be used to thaw out frozen wind shields or win- (lows of the car. For this purpose a suitable heating pad 81 may be connected to the steam and exhaust lines of the heating system to allow steam to circulate thru the pad so that when this pad is brought in contact with a surface it will be heated by it and quickly Instead of a round pipe as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 a continued length of flat tube bent back upon itself may be used for feeding the Water into the exhaust pipe and directing the steam generated from it into the heating system. This is illustrated in Figures 7 and 8.

In Figures 9 and 10 I have illustrated a form of steam generator in which a single central pipe 30 feeds the water into the exhaust pipe while a series of return pipes surrounding the pipe 30 are used to carry off the generated steam.

If it is desired to use hot water instead of steam in the heating system a larger volume of water is admitted from the cooling system of the automobile into the steam generator. The hot gases in the exhaust pipe will then simply raise the temperature of the water without transforming it into steam in passing thru the steam generator so that hot water instead of the steam is fed into the radiator. In order to admit the larger volume of water into the heating system the plug 17 with its restricted opening 16 is removed from the inlet plug 13 so that suflicient water is allowed to pass thru this inlet plug into the pipe 12 that feeds the water to the tubes 1 and 2 where it is heated.

I claim:

1. In a steam heating system for automobiles the combination of a steam generator adapted to be mounted in the exhaust pipe of the internal combustion engine of the automobile and comprising an outer tube having one end closed and the other end open and bent to one side thereof, to project thru an opening in the exhaust pipe, :1 baseplate havnection threaded into said nipple to form a continuation of said outer tube and force said flange of said outer tube in place on said shoulder and form a steam tight joint between said outer tube, said base plate and said pipe connection, a smaller inner tube held suspended within said outer tube both inside and outside of the exhaust pipe, said inner tube being connected to a uniform water supply to feed water into said outer tube.

2. In a steam heating system for automobiles having an engine with a water cooling system the combination of a steam generator adapted to be mounted in the exhaust pipe of the internal combustion engine of the automobile, and comprising an outer and an inner tube, said outer tube being open at one end and closed at the other end, said inner tube being suspended within said outer tube and having both of its ends open a base plate having a hole there thru, the open end of said outer tube with one of the open ends of said inner tube being bent to project thru a hole in the exhaust pipe of the engine, and into said hole in said base plate, means for clamping the open end of said outer end into the hole in said base )late a he connection 7 attached to said base plate and forming a continuation of said outer tube, said inner tube passing thru said pipe connection, means for suspending said inner tube within said pipe connection, a pipe connecting to said inner tube, an inlet plug carried on the end of said pipe and attached to the water cooling system of said internal combustion engine, a steam distributing pipe, connected to said pipe connection, a radiator connected to said steam distributing pipe, and an outlet pipe connected to said radiator to carry off the condensed steam and water from said radiator.

3. In a steam heating system for automobiles having an internal combustion. engine with a water cooling system and an exhaust pipe. the combination of a steam generator comprising a bent tube leading into and out of a hole in said exhaust pipe, a supporting base on the outside of said exhaust pipe supporting one end of said vent tube, a yoke partially surrounding said exhaust pipe and engaging said supporting base on each side of said exhaust pipe to firmly anchor aid supporting base on said-exhaust pipe, a steam pipe and a water pipe leading from said bent tube, a radiator connected to said steam pipe,

1 a connecting plug carried on the outer end of said Water pipe, a duct leading thru saidconnecting plug, a plug mounted within said duct, and a reduced duct leading thru said plug to restrict the flow of water passing thru said connecting plug into said water pipe.

4. In a steam heating system for automobiles, the combination of a steam generator adapted to be mounted in the exhaust pipe of the internal combustion engine of the automobile and comprising an outer tube having one end closed and the other end open, the closed end being extended into the exhaust pipe through a single opening of the exhaust pipe, an inner tube within the outer tube, both inside and outside of the exhaust pipe, means adapted to seal the joint between the outer tube and the exhaust pipe and hold the outer tube in the exhaust pipe, independent connections outside the exhaust pipe for conveying water into the inner tube and for taking away water or steam from the outer tube.

5. In a heating system for an automobile, the combination of a generator adapted to be mounted in the exhaust pipe of the internal combustion engine of an automobile and comprising a tube adapted to convey the low temperature fluid into the exhaust pipe and another tube adapted to convey the high temperature fluid out of the exhaust pipe, said tubes being joined together in the exhaust pipe so that the one discharges into the other, said exhaust pipe having a single opening therein through which both of said tubes enter and leave the exhaust pipe, a base plate on the outside of said exhaust pipe for supporting said tubes within said exhaust pipe and seal the opening in said exhaust pipe around both of said tubes, independent connections carried by said base plate outside the exhaust pipe for conveying low temperature fluid into the one tube and for taking the high temperature fluid away from the other tube.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAMES S. DOUGLASS, JR. 

